


Seeing life in different colours

by starsandnightskies



Series: Merman!Louis [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Merman!Louis, mermaids and mermen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-09
Updated: 2013-08-09
Packaged: 2017-12-22 19:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/917130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandnightskies/pseuds/starsandnightskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry's ship is sinking and he should have known to never take food from strangers.</p><p>Or the one where Louis is a merman and he saves Harry from drowning in a very special way..</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeing life in different colours

**Author's Note:**

> There was like a miniature Ashton Irwin sitting on my shoulder yelling 'Use our lyrics for your title!' So the title is from Unpredictable by 5SOS.
> 
> Other than that I don't have much to say. This was the kind of one shot that wrote itself. Oopsie.

**Seeing life in different colours.**

The splashing sound has been following Harry for days now. At first, he thought that maybe it was a dolphin. It's said that dolphins sometimes swim along with boats. But they didn't follow the same boat for days. And besides, Harry was pretty sure he'd seen a glimpse of a cerulean tail. Dolphins may have a blueish colour, but they weren't as bright as the sky in early June.

After a dolphin, his second guess would be some kind of sea monster, like in legends and fairy tales. If they had even existed in the first place. But sea monsters don't exist, so Harry was left wondering what might cause the sound.

But right now, sunbathing on deck and listening to some music, he can't bring himself to care. He feels like he's living his dream.

After he graduated from high school, he decided (much against Anne's, his mum, will) to take a gap year to travel the world. By boat. Harry didn't have a clue about boats but his friend Niall did. And fortunately, Niall had no problem joining Harry on his journey, much to Anne's dismay. She'd never liked Niall anyway.

And here they are, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a small boat, Harry sunbathing and Niall steering the boat in the right direction. Harry had tried to tell Niall about the noise, only to be laughed at, even more so when he said it might be some kind of sea monster. Niall didn't believe in that kind of nonsense, as he had called it. "Harry, mate", he had said, "there's no such thing as a sea monster. Probably just some fish." And Harry knew he shouldn't talk about it anymore.

Harry sighs and pushes his sunglasses up higher where they're perched on his nose. It's getting noticably colder and darker and he hopes it's not because there's a storm on the way. His sunglasses are becoming pretty useless as the sun disappears behind thick, grey clouds and he hears Niall cursing. "Harry, get inside and make sure you're holding onto something. This ain't gonna be fun."

"I'm coming!" Harry is scrambling to get his phone and shirt before he joins Niall in the steering cabine.

"Storm ahead," Niall says without looking at him.

"Can't we turn around?" Harry asks.

Niall shakes his head shortly. "The storm will catch up with us. We might as well go straight through it now." And all of a sudden, they're in the middle of it. The boat is shaking and it hangs dangerously far to the right. Harry's phone slips out of his hand and he gets up to get it; it's his only way to keep in touch with his Mum.

"Harry, stay seated!" Niall yells but Harry doesn't hear him. When he crouches down to grab his phone, his head smashes into a cabinet and he passes out.

When he wakes up, he's soaked and laying in a small puddle of water. His first thought is that Niall is nowhere to be seen. His second thought consists of lots of swearing and  _fuck, this boat is sinking_. Then Harry thinks of his phone and grabs it out of the puddle of water that has formed on the floor. He presses the home button repeatedly but nothing happens. Seems like iPhones don't handle water very well. Though, the fact that Apple really needs to waterproof its phones isn't really Harry's biggest concern right now.

What his biggest concern is, is that this boat is sinking, and fast. He doesn't think swimming will save his ass in this situation. He thinks of the boat's radio next but he hasn't got a clue how that thing works so that plan is out the window too.

Shouldn't there be a life vest somewhere? In the sleeping cabines, maybe? But when Harry steps out of the steering cabine, any plans of searching the sleeping cabines for life vest vanish. The other half of the boat is nowhere to be seen and Harry presumes it's somewhere on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

He realizes he's run out of options to save himself and slowly starts accepting the fact he's going down with this ship. It's a shame his phone broke though. He'd rather have listened to the Beatles while dying.

And then he hears the splashing noise again, though this time it's accompanied by gurgling and screeching.  _Great, just great_ , Harry thinks bitterly. Now he has a choice; drowning or being eaten by a sea monster. Maybe it's a friendly sea monster.  _Or maybe not_ , he thinks as he hears a ripping sound and part of the remaining boat disappears under water.

Harry hears a splash and he catches a glimpse of a cerulean tail but it disappears as soon as he tries to get a better look at it. What is new is the soft, melodious singing that seems to come from under the surface of the water. It's in a language Harry doesn't quite recognize.

"Hello?" he calls hesitantly. The water reaches up to his knees now. "Is anyone there?" A melodious hum answers him and the sound gets closer. Harry can just make out a vague shape in the semi-dark and when he squints his eyes, he recognizes the shape as human. The shape raises an arm and its hand is holding a very strange lantern. It's some kind of sea green jar with fireflies in it, Harry decides.

It's only then that he gets a good look at the creature in the water. It looks very much like a human boy, shiny cerulean eyes and feathery brown hair (which should be wet because of the water but it isn't). The boy opens his mouth, but instead of words, the screeching from before comes out and Harry covers his ears in a reflex.

The boy looks at him sadly and starts disappearing under the surface of the water once again.

"No, no, wait. I didn't mean to insult you", Harry hurries to say. "It's just that your language is, erm, kind of painful for my eardrums." The boy halts and turns to look at Harry. "Do you understand English?" The boy nods and Harry nearly sighs in relief. Nearly, because the water reaches up to his waist now and the boat is sinking faster and faster.

"Okay, good. Do you know a way to save me from drowning?" The boy's face lights up and he nods again, before disappearing under water. "No, no, no, wait!" Harry calls but the boy doesn't come up again and the light of the lantern is fading quickly under water. "Great, I'm seeing ghosts, Niall is probably dead, I'm drowning and now I'm talking to myself too", he mutters. The water reaches up to his chest, but he's still standing.

A few minutes later, the boy's head pops up again (Harry hadn't seen the light of the lantern come up) and he looks pleased with himself. Harry is trying not to swallow any salt sea water as it reaches up to his neck now. He can feel the boat disappearing from underneath his feet and he's trying not to panic.

The boy swims closer and holds out a strangely pale hand with green weed in it, a proud smile on his face.

Harry doesn't quite understand. "No, I don't need sea weed, I need some kind of life vest", he pants. The boy pushes the weed under his nose insistently and Harry takes it hesitantly. "What do I do?" The boy pretends to eat the weed and Harry stares at him in disbelief. "You want me to eat this?" He eyes the weed suspiciously. The boy shrugs. He seems to be implying  _it's either that or drown. Your choice._

Harry sighs and throws the boy a look. "Fine, but you better not poison me." And he stuffs the weed in his mouth. His legs burn from kicking them in an attempt to keep swimming. But once he swallows the weed (it's disgusting, really), his legs start burning even more but in a different way, more like they're going numb.

His legs seems to have gotten a mind of their own and they seem to move as one now. Harry can't manage to keep his head from going under and he feels himself sinking. There's water in his eyes, in his nose and he can't breathe, can't seem to get oxygen in his lungs and he knows he's drowning. He coughs but it's useless and black spots start clouding his vision and- then he can breathe again.

It takes a moment for his brain to process that  _he's still under water and breathing_. How the fuck is that possible?

"Hi", a soft, gentle voice says and when Harry opens his eyes he sees the strange boy looking at him worriedly, biting his lip. Then he does a double take because  _holy shit, the cerulean tail from before is attached to this boy_.

"What are you?" Harry asks and he's surprised to hear his own voice clearly because isn't he supposed to gurgle when trying to speak under water? The boy looks mildly offended at 'what are you' and Harry shakes his head. "No, wait, let me rephrase that. Who are you and why do you have a tail?" he corrects himself.

"My name is Louis and I am what you humans call a merman", the boy says.

"You're a merman?" Harry asks in disbelief.

"Well, I'm certainly not a werewolf, am I?" Louis laughs and Harry finds himself relaxing slightly. "Besides, you're a merman too, now." Harry looks down and nearly screams when he sees an emerald green tail where his legs are supposed to be. But strangely enough, the tail feels very natural, like he never had legs in the first place.

"Is this a tail?" Harry asks.

"No, it's a bow tie, obviously", Louis says in a serious voice. "Of course it's a tail, you idiot. Are you gonna come with me or what?"

"Come where?" Harry asks confused.

"Atlantis of course! Granted, it might take us a few days, since I've been following your boat for days but we could get to know each other!" Louis says enthusiastically.

"Woah there, the lost city of Atlantis, you mean?"

"Well, we live there so it's not exactly lost but yeah, same one."

"We? You mean there's more of you?" Harry asks. He can't seem to stop asking questions to this beautiful boy.

"More of us", Louis corrects him and Harry is reminded of the tail that has replaced his legs. "But yeah, I think there's a few thousand mermen and mermaids living in Atlantis. There's another city, but that's about two weeks away from us." Louis starts swimming and Harry follows him. Somehow, using his tail feels like a second nature. "You okay? Or are you always this quiet?" Louis asks after a few minutes of silence. Harry can't see the boat wreck anymore when he looks back. It's probably too dark for that.

"It's just a lot to process", Harry says quietly.

"I bet that pretty little head of yours is full with questions", Louis smiles.

"It is", Harry agrees.

"Well, don't be shy. Ask away!"

Harry smiles gratefully. "What was that stuff you made me eat and why did you turn me?" he asks first.

"It was a special kind of sea weed. It only grows near small islands. There was one nearby so I had to swim very fast. As you noticed, it turns you into a merman but only temporarily. Don't worry, you can change permanently if you want but our king Triton has to grant you permission first. He does, most of the time. And I turned you because I didn't want you to die.

"It's not really allowed for us to turn humans but I think Zayn turned your friend as well. You know, the other bloke that was on the boat with you. We'd been following the two of you because Zayn likes your friend and I kind of have a crush on you?" Louis rambles amd he blushes furiously.

Harry chooses to ignore the last part so he doesn't embarrass Louis any further. "You mean Niall didn't die?"

"No, I think he and Zayn are on their way to Atlantis as well. I told your friend I'd make sure you didn't drown", Louis says amd suddenly, Harry feels a little better about this whole situation. Niall's alive and apparently okay. "More questions?"

"Is my tail this colour for a reason?" Harry asks, because Louis kind of answered most of his questions already.

"It's the colour of your eyes, strangely enough. That only happens to two peoplr every generation and erm-" Louis hesitates.

"And what?" Harry presses, curiosity sparked.

"It means that those two people are meant to be together, like soul mates", Louis rushes but Harry doesn't quite get it. Until he sees Louis' eyes. Cerulean, like his tail.

"Really?"

"Yeah. My family has been wondering who my soul mate might be for years. No one of my generation has a tail the colour of their eyes. But you're here and your tail is the colour of your eyes so I guess that mystery is solved now. I'm sorry if it creeps you out, don't feel obligated to marry me or something." Louis' face is bright red, clearly embarrassed.

"No, it's fine. I'm not creeped out", Harry says. He isn't. He's just amused by the fact that somehow his saviour is his soul mate. Hello, cliché Disney movie much?

Louis coughs awkwardly. "So, got any family?" he asks, steering the conversation in a different direction.

"Yeah, my Mum but she's mad at me for wanting to travel the world with Niall. She doesn't particularly like him. We haven't contaced each other in months." Harry knows he sounds a little sad but to be honest, he feels sad that he hasn't spoken to his Mum in months. He loves her dearly and now she's going to think he died in a storm. Yeah, granted, being a merman isn't much of an improvement but at least he's alive. "How about you?"

"I have four little sisters and I haven't quite decided yet if I want to strangle them or if I love them to death", Louis laughs. Harry chuckles. He can imagine Louis going crazy with four girls running - no, swimming - around. "No, I love them, honestly, but sometimes it's just too much. When Lottie is yelling something about her boyfriend, Fizzy is accusing me of stealing her mascara - I know, it doesn't make sense - and the twins Daisy and Phoebe are crying because they lost their favourite toys and I'm right in the middle of it all. Just wait till they see you. They're going to go nuts."

"As long as they're as pretty as you, I think I'll be able to forgive them", Harry teases and he even gets Louis to blush.

"Shut it, you", Louis mutters, but he's smiling.

-

It takes the two boys four days to reach Atlantis. Apparently Niall and Zayn were pretty far ahead of them because neither Harry or Louis has seen anything that resembles a merman on their journey.

They have gotten much closer and Louis has even taken up the habit of kissing Harry's cheek before they went to bed on different sides of the cave they'd be sleeping in for that night (only to end up tangled together in the morning). And yeah, Harry can see why they're soul mates or destined to be or whatever you want to call it.

When he wakes up the morning before the older boy does, he can't help but stare at the beauty that is Louis (and notice how perfect they fit together). What he doesn't know is that Louis does the same if he wakes up first.

"Hey Haz, we're almost there", Louis says as the area around them becomes lighter and more colourful.

"Are we?" Harry yawns. All the new impressions and experiences have made him very tired.

"Aw, is little Harry tired?" Louis teases and Harry swats at him halfheartedly, too tired to cause actual harm (not that he would do that to his Louis anyway). "You know, you look like a grumpy toddler when you're all cute and tired like this", Louis chuckles. But Harry doesn't listen anymore because he sees towers with ingraved tridents in the distance and he knows they've arrived in Atlantis. "Come on!" Louis says and he takes Harry's hand.

They're swimming towards the lost city of Atlantis, holding hands, and suddenly Harry doesn't care about the stupid tail anymore. All he cares about now is Louis and his pretty eyes, angelic voice and beautiful personality. Louis is his new life now.

"Harry, welcome in Atlantis", Louis says cheerfully and Harry notices they've come to a stop just through the gates.

It's amazing, fantastic, breathtaking and every other adjective Harry can come up with. He breathes out in awe.

"No, wait, let me rephrase that", Louis says.

Harry turns to glare at him. "Shut up, you're ruining my Disney moment."

Louis doesn't listen. "Harry, welcome  _home_."

(Well, what would a cliché story be without a cliché ending?)

_And they lived happily ever after._

**Author's Note:**

> There's like a 50 % chance that I will do a sequel idk. Please leave a comment? You'll get Oreos.
> 
> Edit: this got rec'ed to the bottomlouislibrary on tumblr i'm actually screaming bye
> 
> EDIT: It has a sequel! http://archiveofourown.org/works/933289


End file.
